In various environments, the use of information bearing indicia, such as bar code symbols, has become the norm for identifying products and inventory. Typically, each item is marked with information bearing indicia associated with a description of the item and other attributes (for example, price or patient identification) that are stored in a database of a host device or network system. Indicia readers are used to read the indicia and provide that reading as input information to host devices. In some cases, the data is provided to the host devices via base units, which communicate with the indicia reader. Examples of host devices include a hospital patient care system, a computer (fixed or portable), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable data terminal (PDT), a point of sale (POS) terminal, a transaction terminal, cash register, server, or similar device.
An advance upon the stationary presentation-type scanner is the use of a mobile hand held indicia reader hardwired to a linked base unit. This configuration permits the user to manually move the hand held indicia reader into position to scan an item's indicia, rather than having to move the item into the field of view of the reader as in the stationary presentation-type scanner. The scanned information from the indicia is then transmitted to the reader's linked base unit via the hardwired connection between the two components. The base unit then communicates this information to the host device. Alternatively, the reader may be connected directly to the host device. Unfortunately, this approach does not eliminate the problems associated with scanning items that are out of reach of the hardwired reader and must be repositioned into the field of view of the reader so that the reader may scan the indicia.
In order to eliminate the limitations imposed by hardwiring the reader to its base unit, another proposed approach is the use of a wireless reader that may communicate wirelessly with its linked base unit. In this approach, the wireless reader is held in a base unit or docking cradle until needed to read indicia that are out of the view of a stationary presentation-type reader. The user may manually move the reader into position to scan an item's indicia as long as the reader is within a distance where it may communicate wirelessly with its linked base unit. The scanned information is then transmitted to the reader's linked base unit over the wireless connection. The base unit then communicates this bar code information to the host device.
In the case of a mobile reader hardwired to its individual base unit, this link between the reader and base unit is fixed and permanent. In the case of a wireless mobile reader that communicates wirelessly with its individual base unit, this link may be made by programming the reader with information identifying the particular base unit so the reader directs its transmitted information to that base unit, or vice versa.
One prior art approach used for linking a wireless mobile reader with an individual base unit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,063 to Reynolds et al. In this approach, each base unit is assigned a unique bar code symbol that is scanned by the reader to obtain information about the base unit to enable communication between the reader and the base unit.
Another prior art approach used for linking a wireless mobile reader with an individual base unit is also discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,063 to Reynolds et al. In this approach, the reader is physically inserted into a base unit. The reader and base unit then exchange information via physical mating electrical connections to enable communications between the two devices.
Efforts regarding such systems have led to continuing developments to improve their versatility, practicality and efficiency.